We're in the process of packing up to go away for the weekend to visit my wife's parents. While we are packing, Elisabeth is "cleaning the windows" using a diaper wipe. While she was merrily scrubbing the windows, Elisabeth said,
"I'm ready to go to my in-laws."It never ceases to astound me the expressions kids pick up from their parents.
As I have been preparing to preach from John 6, I have been amazed at the deeply trinitarian picture that Jesus presents in the work of salvation. Not long after glimpsing that, I read Newbigin on trinitarian preaching, and found him to be immensely helpful:
But it is also significant that, when one goes out side of the 'Christendom' situation to bring the gospel to non-Christians, one soon discovers that the doctrine of the Trinity is not something that can be kept out of sight; on the contrary, it is the necessary starting point of preaching. Even in the simplest form of missionary preaching, one finds that one cannot escape dealing with this doctrine. . . .
Thus even in its most elementary form the preaching of the Gospel must presuppose an understanding of the triune nature of God. It is not, as we have sometimes seemed to say, a kind of intellectual capstone which can be put on the top of the arch at the very end; it is, on the contrary, the arche, the presupposition without which the preaching of the Gospel in a pagan world cannot begin. (Weston, Paul. "Lesslie Newbigin: Missionary Theologian." Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 2006 p83, 84)
I was recently talking to a friend about reading. How does one, in today's world, get to and through good books? It recalled to mind this section from When I Don't Desire God that points to the importance of building in time, even fifteen minutes:
Suppose you read slowly like I do - maybe about the same that you speak - 200 words a minute. If you read fifteen minutes a day for one year (say just before supper, or just before bed), you will read 5,475 minutes in the year. Multiply that by 200 words a minute, and you get 1,095,000 words that you would read in a year. Now an average serious book might have about 360 words per page. So you would have read 3,041 pages in one year. That's ten very substantial books. All in fifteen minutes a day. (John Piper, in When I Don't Desire God, p129)
Last night our house church met at a friend's house, where we do not normally meet. Our host, Milli, had a world map on her wall, and Elisabeth exclaimed excitedly,
"Milli has Afghanistan too!"
Yesterday I was reading Mike's blog, and saw a new little button:
. I clicked it to find out what it was about, and discovered Google Reader. I was familiar with the Google homepage which allows you to add feeds on your homepage (and which I enjoy). What I didn't know was that the reader exists to be a one-stop shop for all the feeds. (My homepage was becoming cluttered with feeds from blogs I read, so this was a welcome tidying tool, which I would highly recommend.)
If you like reading about Elisabeth, and don't know when to check in for new posts and pictures (as I never know when I'm going to write them or publish them . . .) click here:
. I'm also adding a link under Syndicate so you can do it anytime. (I haven't figured out how to add images to the sidebars, so if anyone is blogger savy and can help me out, I'd appreciate it!)
Justin Taylor has an excellent piece on The Death of Wisdom that is particularly apropos for those of us who write, and read, blogs. The longer piece by Alan Jacobs (which Taylor cites) is also well worth the read in considering how we take in information, and how - and to what extent - a blog can promote wisdom, rather than meaningless tripe.
As I read Jacobs' piece, I was particularly grateful for such a charitable, thoughtful readership. Thank you for making this a pleasure for me and others.
Married Life has a great link to Girltalk, which has some good counsel on children and devotions, as well as some good resources.
I'm especially interested to check out Mark Altrogge, who appears to have an extensive music resource for helping kids (and their parents!) memorize Scripture through song.
Jim Hamilton has an excellent post on The Greatest Danger Facing the Church. He says,
[It] is probably not what most of us expect. We expect some sort of direct challenge from without, something like The Da Vinci Code. But I think the greatest danger that we face is from within, and I think it comes from well meaning pastors. . . .From my experience, I think he's right.
Now I'm not the only one to be recommending this children's catechism! Justin Taylor has a post on it today. Incidentally, I don't recommend another book by the same author: Jesus the Real Story.
[The contemplation of the glory of Christ] will lift the minds and hearts of believers above all the troubles of this life, and is the sovereign antidote that will expel all the poison that is in them; which otherwise might perplex and enslave their souls. (Owen, John. "The Glory of Christ." Glasgow: Christian Heritage. 2004. p31)As I read Owen, I am consisently amazed at:
Recently at a friend's house, Elisabeth perched on their couch in a "Moses' basket" (a woven bassinet for an infant). Elisabeth, in her excitement, nearly dumped the basket and its contents (herself) onto the floor. My wife jumped to her aid and kept her from falling. She said, "You almost gave Mommy a heart attack!" Elisabeth grinned and said,
"I'm giving Mommy a hard time."Close enough.
Yesterday, after a brief morning outing, as I returned to our block, I saw a bookshelf on the sidewalk with a sign: $29. I hastily crossed the street to look more closely, and realized that it was identical to an oak bookcase that we have in our livingroom/dining room/library/guest room. (You who have stayed with us can smile.) A young woman (the owner of the bookcase) was sitting in a moving truck nearby, waiting for the next load of goods. I quickly told her that I wanted the bookcase, and that I would go to talk to my wife and get the cash to pay for it. I did exactly that: I ran upstairs, talked with my wife and got the money. I was eager to part with $29 for a beautiful oak bookcase (identical to our other one!).
That experience made me think of the parable of the treasure hidden in the field, and that of the pearl merchant. They were glad to spend, in order to obtain something of great value. Just as glad as I was to part with $29 for a great bookcase, I should be more so, with even more joy, to part with everything for the sake of the Kingdom. This is the kind of love for God that enables joyful, sacrificial service like Paul's for the Corinthians:
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. (2 Corinthians 12:15)God, give me eyes to see the beauty and treasure of Your Kingdom!
On Friday we had dinner with good friends who are expecting their first child in about a week. They had been given Baby Faces, a board book with pictures of babies' expresions. Elisabeth looked at one unhappy face and exclaimed,
He ate some playdough or something!
Last night my in-laws spent the night with us, so they slept in our bed, and we slept in the loft over Elisabeth's toddler bed. Some time in the middle of the night we heard these words emerge from our sleeping (or half-awake?) toddler:
I want cookies!We didn't get up in response, and thankfully, neither did she.
This, therefore, deserves the severest of our thoughts, the best of our meditations, and our utmost diligence in them. For if our future blessedness shall consist in being where he is, and beholding his glory, what better preparation can there be for it than in a constant previous contemplation of that glory in the revelation that is made in the Gospel, to this very end, that by a view of it we may be gradually transformed into the same glory? (Owen, John. "The Glory of Christ." Glasgow: Christian Heritage. 2004. p24)A sight of what we were made for, being where He is, and beholding His glory, will teach us how to live, and prepare us to die.
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